He said that the defeat at the Masters for the second time following his second place in 2015, would continue to hurt, but he would now turn his attention to the three majors coming up later this year: The US Open, the British Open and the PGA Championship.
Drawing strength from Spain's greatest golfers, Garcia finally managed to win a major, giving "El Nino" a Masters green jacket and giving the country's golden generation of sports stars a new life.
Garcia and Rose both carded 69 to finish tied on nine-under-par 279 at the end of regulation and send the year's first major to a playoff when both missed birdie putts and settled for pars at the 72nd hole.
Justin Rose was a triumphant competitor and will likely win at Augusta National in the near future, but Sunday belonged to Sergio. "I'm sure he helped a little bit with some of those shots or some of those putts".
This old proverb rang true on Sunday at Augusta as Sergio Garcia finally broke through to win his first major at his 74th attempt, winning a playoff against Justin Rose to claim The Masters.
"I don't know if it hasn't sunk in or something but it doesn't feel that different", he said. So I have plenty more looks, and I feel good about it happening. He held his nerve to become only the third Spaniard to win the prestigious title after Seve Ballesteros (1980, 1983) and Jose Maria Olazabal (1994, 1999).
He said it felt "amazing" to win the tournament on what would have been the 60th birthday of his idol Seve Ballesteros, who died in 2011.
Invincibles To Invisibles - Arsenal Demise Met With Fan Fury
Alexis Sanchez, Mesut Ozil, Lucas Perez and Jack Wilshere have all been linked with moves away from Arsenal next summer. Many Arsenal supporters may want to push them out the club after their antics last night...
"A lot of things were going through my mind, my people, my moments that didn't go the way I wanted", Garcia said.
"He's a great man and we've had a great relationship for many, many years".
Two early birdies and a bogey from Rose briefly gave Garcia a three-shot lead in the final round, only for Rose to respond with a hat-trick of birdies from the sixth. But we can also draw confidence from this simple fact: Just two weeks before Garcia's green jacket triumph, he hit one of the worst shots you'll ever see.
"I've been in the last group a couple of times and shot 14 under when Jordan (Spieth) won".
Back on level terms with three holes left, Rose landed the next blow by sinking an eight-foot birdie before Garcia missed a tricky five-footer. And going to Quail Hollow for the PGA and I've had success there in the past.
On Sunday's performance, the world number 11 added: "I knew I was playing well". The player who often sparred with American galleries and was known to brood on the golf course was now smiling and joking and basking in the adulation accorded him by the patrons who chanted his name, "Sergio, Sergio".
"This is a tournament I think I am going to win one day".




Comments